Irish soccer star arrested over fatal road accident

REPUBLIC of Ireland and Liverpool soccer ace Steve Finnan has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

The defender, who played in the memorable Champions League final victory against AC Milan last month, was involved in a collision in his black Range Rover which resulted in the death of a pensioner.

Henry Nelson, 81, from Liverpool, suffered serious head injuries and died five weeks later in hospital.

The accident happened in the Tuebrook area of the city on January 27 but Finnan, a Republic of Ireland international, was not arrested until more than three months later.

Meanwhile, former Arsenal striker Davor Suker has been questioned by police in Croatia following the murder of football agent Dino Pokrovac. A police report stated that Suker, who co-managed several players with Pokrovac, was questioned for more than three hours, in which time he gave details about his business relations with the agent, who was murdered outside his home in Zagreb over the weekend.

Back in Britain, a libel jury heard yesterday that Gary Lineker's newspaper article about Harry Kewell's transfer from Leeds was a "clumsy and misinformed challenge" which caused serious injury to the star's reputation and feelings.

Kewell, who is abroad having treatment for a groin injury, was not at London's High Court to hear his counsel, Andrew Monson, ask the panel of six men and six women to do their duty and award substantial damages over the TV pundit's July 2003 column in the Sunday Telegraph.

The 26-year-old midfielder claims that Lineker, sports editor Jon Ryan and Telegraph Group Limited had accused him of being a fool and implied he was a knave who was guilty of dishonourable conduct.

Mr Monson said the article claimed Kewell cunningly circumvented transfer rules, naively and stupidly allowed personal manager Bernie Mandic to manipulate him to his financial detriment, and discredited himself by taking part in a financially dubious transfer.

Kewell joined Liverpool for a total five-year package of £13.5 million, plus a £2.4m loyalty bonus, payable over three years.

Cash-strapped Leeds had wanted £7m for the player but Liverpool offered £5m with £2m of that going to Mandic's company, Max Sport, as payment for work it had done for Leeds in Australia.

The hearing was adjourned until 12.30pm today when the judge will complete his summing up.

He will then send the jury out to consider its verdict in the case.